Mercy, me
by Rose Tsukiyomi
Summary: A familiar story we all know, secret programs making unusual people. In this case it happens to be a young woman, cloned from the DNA of a unique & skilled woman from the late 20th. Making the best of her lot in life, she is paired with a familiar face & together they face the challenges of being soldiers, facing old foes, & maybe, what it means to be human.
1. Mercy, me

~~~~~~~ Chapter 1 (Introducing: Mercy, me.) ~~~~~~~

 _ **Diary entry: January 8th, 2558**_ _I am definitely out of place with the normal soldiers and people of this era. I am a clone from some woman's brain that had been frozen after she died back in the early 21rst century. They used DNA reconstruction to bring me to life - calling me subject 7A officially, though I am generally called Mercy by those outside the program. It gets snickers when I startle someone as I suddenly appear or dart by and they yell my name. I usually cry back at them "Didn't startle you did I?" or "I didn't know you were so polite." while laughing before I disappear. I get into shit every time I pull a stunt like that or similar. But mostly worth it. Haha._

 _I do remember bits about my previous life's childhood, though they are painful and I can't help but wish I didn't some days. Each year I gain more and more of her memories, though some come slowly, others hit me like a train and some I just, know. I've yet to get any information on why I'm here now or what the lady's life story was or who she was, but the memories/emotions give me clues here and there that she was a unique person for how deeply caring, loving, and tough a woman she was throughout her difficult life. The last recalled memory happened while I was swimming._

 _I had just dove under the water to continue my laps and suddenly everything came at me like a sudden movie I'd never intended to watch; Hiking through a park with a young, short, brown-haired, tomboy who I repeatedly called my sister. It was raining during what seemed like the springtime and I felt this overwhelming feeling of being whole, like this person was my life partner or that we shared some deep secret that bound us inseparably together. As I watched on, I experienced our hike in a park we called "The Gully" a steep-sided ravine which we climbed all over while chatting till we stopped at an oak tree and hand lunch. I got some tea boiling with the fresh water from the nearby streams which we enjoyed with some sandwiches she had made then packed up the small lunch kit afterward, proceeding to slide down the muddy hillside, giggling and laughing merrily as we held onto one another._

 _The slide went on a bit longer than expected, then faster, began to blur then I woke with a start. Scaring the hell out of the person who'd jumped in to pick me out of the water (thinking I was in trouble or drown), when I jumped to my feet and gasped for air. I had to spend the next hour explaining I was just practicing holding my breath and that relaxing helped. Not many believed me but passed it off as me being strange and left me alone. I still kick myself for using that lame excuse, but what could I tell them that wouldn't get me in needless shit with some kind of brass who knew of the program that created me._

 _I do tend to get myself into needless trouble regardless with some antics I pull and as a result, I was put into military training early; that was a few years ago. I'm now physically a young teen (About 13 years old), but due to slow physical aging from something that was done during my making, my aging process has been odd. I aged normally till I was five then it considerably slowed. They've guessed its slowed to approximately 2 years to one year of physical aging now. But estimate, due to the increases, that gap is only going to lengthen as I age. I have also had odd sixth sense capabilities since my childhood which are listed thus far in my file, which they theorize is a facet of the precognition's recent emergence. This all makes the doctors suspect I may have some additional dormant skills or that these known skills will develop more as I age. I do find they help me with training and many combat situations, however, like my combat sense, are undeveloped and at times, unreliable._

 _The only one that's so intense they had to intervene and get me training with it has been my Empathy psychic skill due to it causing me to be unpredictably emotional around other people, something unacceptable for combat or general life on a ship or in the military. I enjoy the time with my trainer and she's helped me also understand my "gifts" as she refers to them. She's about 54 years old; an older motherly woman with silvering red hair and the most lively, earthy green eyes that sparkle every time she sees me. The colors of her hair and eyes offset the finely tanned skin on her rather youthful body._

 _Well... It's about 18:00 now and I'm gonna go practice Parkour (Urban Gymnastics) around the ship before I cool down, practicing my knife throwing then hit the sack before training in the morning. Hopefully this time I don't jump off a level and scare the hell out of that snarly ONI captain again. Or fuck up and literally run into that "old guy" again. He's new on the ship and so far its been pretty hush hush about him. Though from the look in his blue eyes, he isn't dangerous or surly just emotionally hurt from what I can tell. He seems to be a mix of emotions, mostly of regret and loss. But despite that is a typical soldier, by the book, quiet, and reserved while also being from what I can tell from the few times I've met him, that he's gentle and kind. I've heard whispers of him being an accomplished soldier from the Covenant-Human war too! That young though? He cannot be more than 25 or maybe 30 something. Eh - either way I should get going. Before I spend my entire night sitting here typing up about random things. Haha._

Well, that was my first entry before it happened. My first mission assignment: Learn to work with a partner and do my best to challenge him to learn about his own humanity, and perhaps my own too.

* * *

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted anything; yay irl life. But strangely enough how my life goes, I happened upon this story in my many and found it misfiled under incomplete. Looks fine to me, so after a read through I confirmed this and began the final editing process to post it here for others to enjoy.

As always, reviews are the lifeblood of writers like me and it always helps us keep going. As well as may even give us ideas for new stories to go off on or inspirations for others we may have going in the background.

Sadly, it seems Ghost in the Hold will not get a sequel in the foreseeable future; but To Make a Long Story Short, may get a re-write with my better skills than when it was first written in the early 2000's. So, enjoy lovlies and I shall try to get chapters posted as quick as I can.

~ Rose


	2. The Park

"You coming?" the "old man", asks looking back to see if I'm following behind him on the park's pathway obviously curious why I've been so silent for the past ten or so minutes. But as he looks around he finds I'm up on the hillside, whooping excitedly as I surf down the hillside, weaving in and out of trees on a piece of thick bark. I finally surf it right over a boulder then I perform a perfect flip-jump off and land in the gravel ahead of him as the plank smashes at the bottom of the stream bed loudly. "You're reckless." He grunts unimpressed making me shrug while grinning at him as he continues walking. "Yanno, maybe I am. But if I don't push myself I won't get better." I relax, shrugging simply as he continues walking up the pathway. He looks down at me disapprovingly as he passes which makes me sigh a bit exasperated before dropping into step with him and we continue through the park silently.

"We've only been partner's for a few weeks and I'm no closer to getting him to even crack that serious mask he always wears then I had been when we first met! For fuck's sake I can't even get a name outta the guy!" I think to myself sourly as we walk along the park's deserted main pathway. I hear some chatter around the next bend from some kids who I know from my time spent planetside with my empathy trainer. "Oh great..." I grumble, getting a half curious look from the old man as I look around for a spot I can jump out of view to avoid a conflict, but I'm too late.

"HAY! Look, guys! It's _THE FREAK_!" One of the group calls out, catching his direct attention as we continue walking, but I drop back muttering quietly. "Go ahead. I'll handle this." I order, not wanting him to get involved or possibly hurt, though I quickly question myself about how the hell they could pose any danger to this gigantic soldier. I stop and look at them with my arms crossed, resuming my 'normal kid' self as the kids break up into two groups. One group moving to block any exit I can perceivably make to escape, while the main three stride right in close to me, moving to walk past him. "Leave the girl alone." He grunts at them, blocking their path which makes me pause surprised. I have to check my reaction so my jaw doesn't drop off its hinges. "Shit. He's protecting ME? You gotta be joking, no one does that. Orders or not." I think to myself shocked. "What's it matter to you old man? She ain't your kid." "She's nothing but a worthless freak!" two of the kids spit, doing their best to act tough, while a couple of the group look at the old man who crosses his broad arms looking down at the young teens disapprovingly as I ball my fists, feeling a tear-filled lump form in my throat. "Uh. Javier. I'd do it." the young boy beside the Arabic boy says nervously while the others step back a bit, obviously intimidated except him and the other. "Or what?! You ain't gonna hit us old man! You shouldn't step into a business that don't concern you. That freak is gonna get beat for insulting me." Javier spits defiantly. I've had enough and I jump over the nearest boy trying to block me, charging Javier with apparently deadly intent to take him over the near cliff but I skid to a stop centimeters from him. He falls over with a frightened yelp once the dust cloud fades and he finds I'm right there. "Check that. He may not, _but I'll do it you coward_. You wanna fight me. FINE. But don't pick fights with people you don't know." I snarl furiously, half growling. The display causes Javier and the others to scramble off like frightened dogs. "I'll beat your ass next time for this!" he hollers back as I straighten up and just as I'm about to holler back I notice something, the old man had put his hand between us in an attempt to stop me. But I'd stopped just before touching it without realizing. "Shit! I didn't even see you shift!" I jump, looking at him as he relaxes slightly. "He may not, but I'll do it?" He muses thoughtfully, but I figure there's a point to his quoting what I just said. "Hey! Least I scared them off!" I flail embarrassed, blushing as I realize I'd tried to protect him. "That you did. But at what cost?" He half looks at me meaningfully, making me stop flailing when I finally realize his point, they know I'm no pushover now and will come in force. "I'll be fine! I can handle whatever those punks throw at me." I puff up indignantly and begin walking down the pathway with my arms crossed stubbornly.

Eventually, I calm down and we resume the quiet walk in the park together until it's getting dark then we head back to the apartment we live in for now. It was an order, something about him learning about "civilian life" and my training. The rest of the night's fairly quiet, our usual routine of exercising, school work, dinner and finally relaxing before bed. Everything's fairly routine until my cell rings as he heads upstairs to go to bed while I continue my video game to a save point. I save my game then heads outside to answer the phone quietly, hoping he doesn't check before going to bed.

"Yo! Oh, hey! Yeah, I'm back in town. Nah. All's good, just getting ready to hit the sack. Sup with you? Oh yeah? Ha! Kyle's birthday party! Sure. Oh, shaddup! Jason? What about him?... He asked if I was gonna be there? You're shitting. Wonder what he's up to... Hm? Even if I did, which I don't. I don't have time for him. My parkour championships are coming up and I wanna qualify this year now that I'm old enough... Wha? My guardian? HELL NO! I'm not going to tell 'em. The guy'd kill me. Or lock me in my room... Or **worse** , he'd lecture me to death about how dangerous it is. How the money ain't worth it. How I'm being a reckless showoff, yadda yadda yadda. You know the routine. Anyways, where's the party?... The park? Which one genius I haven't been around for... Oh. Shit man! Nice venue, but why don't we just go to the park outside of town. Transit out there doesn't stop for a long time, I know it like the back of my hand so the Bacon can't crash our party. And it's only a short walk from Kay's house... Yeah... I know I'm a genius. Yeah, I figured you'd like the idea since she lives right by the biggest liquor store we know. Ahaha! Nah I've only got about a hundred. Only enough for me. Ahahahahaaa. Joking. I'm not that easy to drink under the table... Hm? What?! under the sheets?! What a perv. Tell him to keep dreaming, cause that's all it'll ever be. So meet at central ... 20 minutes? Fuck you don't give a girl a lot of time... Ugh... Tell that sicko, I'll bring the first aid kit. He touches me and I'll lay his slimy ass out six ways from Sunday... HAHAHA, Gotcha! See you soon. *click*" I snicker a bit and turn to go back inside as I tuck my phone away into my back pocket. I nearly bump into the old man, who's apparently been listening to the conversation. "Call them back, you aren't going. Its too dangerous and you're too young to be drinking alcohol." He orders as I look up at him surprised at first, but that soon changes as my stubbornness comes out fully. "Look. Just because I live with you doesn't mean I gotta start living my off time how _you_ want. I'm gonna enjoy my youth the way I want. Not the way you or anyone else tells me." I cross my arms, stepping back slightly as he narrows his eyes at me like I'm being a disobedient child, which for all appearances, I am. There's a short, tense pause as neither of us moves then suddenly it changes.

He moves too fast for me to fully escape and I make it halfway over the fence before he catches hold of my ankle, picking me up then grabs my wrists so I can't run off, plants me on my feet and forces me inside while I try to struggle, in vain. "Hay! Ow! For fuck's sake man! Ease up!" I gripe, struggling a bit as he locks the door silently then forces me deeper into the house. My efforts to slow the march or put up any resistance hardly phases him until we're at the stairs then he pushes me to them. "It is not up for debate." he grunts seriously as I flip around and stand up on the first stair looking at him defiantly now that we're closer to being eye to eye. "Just because you're my partner doesn't mean you can order me around like I'm some damn boot! I'm trying to make friends in this fucked up world I didn't ask to be brought to life in. It's not like a fake human, like me can at work." I spit emotionally before jumping up the stairs, trying to get out of sight before I can't hold my tears back anymore and wind up crying in front of him. "AND I'M GOING OUT!" I snap before I close my bedroom door and lock it behind me.

I hardly spare the time to wallow in the tears that roll down my cheeks and the self-pity that hits me as I quickly change into some outside clothes, making sure I layer up to keep warm. I strap my one knife set of ten throwing knives onto my forearm before putting on my last layer of clothing. I make sure to strap on my specially make knee and elbow pads over my clothes then I strap on my boots. I dig out my lucky hat and favorite Parkour bag, which looks like a single strap backpack with a hip belt to keep it from flopping around as I flip about with an armored back-piece in case I fall on it. Then I quickly begin to pack it with my wallet, CR (the current currency) card, first aid kit, spare gloves (in case I rip these ones), tensor bandages, a single short sword, and my cell. I open my window quietly then I look back to my door for a moment thoughtfully. "Well... That was selfish... I really blew that one..." I sigh regretfully. "But I've gotta make some friends before I expire as the rest did." I resolve and jump out the window, closing it gently then I secret myself down from the roof and head off into the night, putting my Parkour skills to full use.

All through the night, I get the feeling we're being followed and keep an extra vigilant eye out as we party. I'm sipping on my beer just outside the main party, working as the DJ with rocking tunes until Jay, my friend Beth's brother walks over with her. "Put a playlist on! You're coming to dance!" She orders stubbornly as I lean back and sip my beer, looking at them both with a raised eyebrow. "Oh really. You think I'm gonna dance do ya?" I stand up, being all serious as I hold my beer in my hand calmly. Jay backs off a bit intimidated as Beth steps over to me, drunkenly grabbing my collar then hauls me out from behind the computer and off my feet with surprising strength before dragging me to the party as he watches stunned and I laugh merrily. "YOU'RE DAMN RIGHTS!" she sputters drunkenly then steals my beer once we're outside the Gazebo which we've set up numerous candles in and around as well as a decent sound system for our music.

Beth stealing my beer incites a chase through the field which the Gazebo sits on the edge of. Everyone laughs as I chase her through the grassy field laughing, a couple of the others still setting up numerous candles of different sizes and colors for lighting. "Hay! Oh, you're gonna get it!" I laugh as I chase her, finally catching up to her then I tackle her into some thick grass after stealing my beer back and drinks the last of it down. We laugh together as I help her up then we walk back to the party with our arms over each other's shoulder jovially. Once back we open a beer for one another then propose a toast to each other, getting a rousing cheer before we both chug the beer's down. Which gets us a cheering chant of 'Chug! Chug! Chug!' until we both finish and laugh.

The party goes off without any fights or injuries. I wind up supporting Beth with my right shoulder while using the other to help our friend Kyle walk along when its all over with. We are all pretty drunk and it shows as we walk along, all three of us singing drunkenly as we stumble along, laughing when we bump into a tree or rock.

We make it to the transit station and ride the last train home. Beth's boyfriend meets us at their station and smiles lightly as she flops into his arms, half passed out and very drunk. "Thanks, Mercy. Get home safe yourself." he smiles as he picks Beth up in his arms bridal style and walks off as she drunkenly sings and talks with him, flailing about a bit as I laugh and sit back with Kyle who's passed right out. It's only a couple more stops to his place so I try to wake him when we're a stop away, though by the time we get to his station he's still not up so I sigh heavily and strap my bag on and pick him up in my arms. "Fuck he's heavy..." I grunt and begins the long trek through the station, down the stairs, through the small office park to the street below where he finally wakes up and starts flailing and wailing about some "booger man" just as I get off the last set of stairs. I quickly set him on his feet and shakes him to wake him up fully. "Wake-up dammit! You idiot. I'm not that scary!" I scold as he comes to and realizes it was me carrying him, not the "booger man". He looks at me with some dumbfounded and "lost puppy" look for a few moments while his slow, drunken mind tries to process everything going on. I can't help but begin to laugh at him before I put my arm over his shoulders warmly and begins walking with him to the basement suite he lives with his mom. I make sure he's in bed, under the care of his understanding and thankful mother who thanks me for making sure he got home safe. She repeatedly offers me a lift home but I turn it down, lying that I was meeting some of the others for a lift not far from here. I light up a cigarette after I say goodbye and get around the block.

As I walk I scroll through the music I have on my phone until I find a good song that I listen to while I walk home, sipping a bottle of orange juice Kyle's mother gave me. I make it home in just under an hour, hopping back up to my window which I slide open and slip inside quietly. I half expect to be surprised by him as I slip into the room, but when I turn around I find my room is exactly how I left it. I strip out of my clothes then begins to clean up my room before I climb into bed quietly, trying to think of what I'm gonna say later to him about the whole matter, scolding myself. I doze off quickly and begins the next months of off and on drama, outside work and within, after the "punishment" for what I did that night.

* * *

Yay! It makes my day seeing people have favorited/followed any one of my stories. But the pressure is on to make sure no one waits entirely too long for the next update. But I do not guarantee such short waits will not be without cliff hangers from this Author. ;) So, be fare warned and Enjoy!

As always, reviews are delightful. :D

~ Rose


	3. John's Family

I do eventually get a name out of him, later in the year after winning the competition for parkour for my age group and the finals for the country, getting extra points for daring and my "skilled execution" of my routines, putting some of the older finalists to shame.

We get back to find my friends waiting at the new house we moved to recently. Which everyone finally meets my "roommate", who pretty much stays quiet and to the outskirts of the ensuing celebration much like I used to when I first came to live with my empathy trainer and went to parties with Beth. I had planned a surprise for him when all of us "kids" planned the party, knowing I would at least win the area competition. So I got some _surprise guests_ put together for him so he won't be off on the outskirts of the party by himself with no one to talk to and only Joe's little sister for the persistent company as she asks him millions of questions.

As the doorbell rings, he takes the opportunity to thankfully excuse himself from the girl and heads off to answer the door grateful for the excuse to get away from the discomforting situation.

Beth and four others tackle and pick me up before I can instinctively go open the door. All whooping about my winning the competition while we wait for Joe's little sister to give the signal he's opening the door, which she does, scuttling back over to us. So they drop me and we all position ourselves for the show, stacked on one another like cord-wood as we watch him open the door and stop stunned.

There's a small group standing there of plainly dressed middle-aged people of similar stature to himself, despite a few years visible age difference. The older woman in the middle of them smiles a bit amused at his stunned reaction. "Gonna invite them in or what?" Joe calls teasingly making my partner looks back at us, the lot pointing at me accusingly. "She did it!" they chime making me laugh at the surprised and confused look on his face. "Now I'd swear you practiced that." I chuckle as a few of them smile while he invites them in still stunned.

The night goes fairly well as they keep to themselves while we party about my winning the competition. I barely get a second to myself from all the games and dancing around that when they try to prank me I barely make it outside while yelping. I leapfrog over the fence then scales the tree in the back like a squirrel with ease. "LIKE HELL YOU'RE DYING MY HAIR ANY DAMN COLOR!" I yelp while a few of the group laugh and the adults watch a bit confused while my partner sighs lightly, sipping his coffee quietly since he has been putting up with this for some time.

"What color was it?" The woman of the group with the older woman asks, Kelly I think her name is. "I was thinking bright purple. Maby blue. Or green! Or a combination!" Beth answers from the patio doors while the guys laugh about how fast I had turn tail and run out the door then climbed the tree. "She's just playing..." Joe's little sister soothes as she walks out with 's an unopened beer calmly. I slide down the tree and hang's upside down to take the drink from her gently. "Thank's kiddo." I smile and flip off the tree, popping the bottle-cap off with the clasp of my belt after I land and she claps happily.

"That so amazing. You make it look so effortless! I wish I could do that." she chirps, standing beside me as I walk with her to the house. "Keep up with your gymnastics and studies. Then one day you'll be able to do the same stuff; without breaking bones. Cause you'll be smarter than me." I poke her nose gently with a smile as we walk inside, getting a little fan-girl giggle out of her. "Alright, lets _Party!_ " Beth says, dragging us both into the house by our collars while the guys start some music going.

The party drags on into the night until I remind a few, regretfully of the guys having to work in the morning and Kari has school in the morning. Kari's fast asleep on the couch with Beth, who's passed out drunk as per the usual. I help her boyfriend carry her and Kari to the car while a couple of the guys help a very drunk Joe to the car before heading to their own rides and head off home. I finish the last of my beer before stretching calmly and heads back in calmly to clean up the mess while the adults continue chatting. The music continues playing quietly as I clean up the bottles and cans of alcohol, pop, and juice, humming to myself as I hop around. I sort the garbage in the kitchen for a bit then I kill the music just as the adults come inside.

The doctor looks at me thoughtfully as they walk in while I wipe the last of the mess up. "How'd you know about my Spartans?" she asks me interested as I wipe some sweat off my forehead, looking at her then I grin confidently. "I noticed an odd cohesion with the group during training and also how you looked at them gave me clues that it wasn't just professional, but close personal ties." I explain simply, walking to the kitchen to dump out the dirty water, clean the bucket and cloth before putting them away.

"What made you so sure that you gave us the invites?" Kelly inquires from the doorway as "John" and "Fred" talk quietly with one another, but are obviously listening. "The way all of you worked together on the last training exercise's. Subtle body language and eye contact. And what hammered it home with the Doctor's involvement was the contact each of you gave at the end. It's hard to really describe as anything other than... Special. So I figured this would be a great excuse to test it. I'm glad I was right." I smile happily before I politely excuse myself, bidding them goodnight before I hop up the stairs where I directly head for the shower, not giving them the chances to continue questioning me further or my embarrassment show that I indeed have been so observant of them and invited them not just because but also because it'd make my partner happy-er.

* * *

Awwww, I dunno but despite being the writer that just seems so stinking adorable Mercy'd go through all that just to hopefully make her Partner happy. Or at least less uncomfortable. lol

It's been a busy few days but thankfully the story is written and just needs editing so I can get it up faster. So again, I hope the delays will be short ones if they happen.

~ Rose


	4. The Shield of Mercy

Over the next years, we begin to work more closely and I manage to get more out of him about himself as we work together, as well as helping him enjoy life. Work is mostly training runs with the new Spartan's and green ODST's. I continue aging more slowly as the year's pass, so I'm only about 18 in appearance while my partner is getting closer to his late 30's when we are sent on a routine mission to check out a suspicious distress signal from an ONI charted freighter to one of the last still operational outer colonies.

"Another routine mission again... Don't you ever find them boring?" I ask while continuing my vertical pushups while John cleans his rifle quietly. "I wouldn't say they're boring. Just quiet." he answers simply, methodically going over each piece of the now fully disassembled rifle. I continue my exercise routine while listening to my music distractedly while he works, then after re-assembling it, begins diagnostics on his armor while manually looking it over. I finish up my routine not long after he finishes the rifle and also goes over my self designed armor: the 'Glorified Vacuum Suit' as some ODST's once called it, so I made fun of them by calling it a GVS system. In reality, _it is_ just a glorified Vac suit.

The idea of it is a vacuum suit combined with ideas from the Spartan and ODST armor systems, but hardly any match to the two in comparable physical strength. The suit I wear is mostly shielding for protection and the armor itself is minor, mostly only enough for the absolute minimum for protecting my vitals. Though an even match for marine armor at the worst of times which I'm thankful for. Despite its lacking in physical protection, the shielding is layered in such a way it more than makes up for what it lacks in physical protection. The layering of the shields acts like the layers of physical armor while allowing me full range of flexibility and being difficult to disable in their totality. Something that's been handy on a few training runs or the few actual missions John and I have been on together. I, however, am thankful for the new full suit modifications for this new suit over the minor repairs and tests I've done on my own time.

The "GVS mark 2" has upgraded shields allowing for one extra layer of shielding close to my body as well as new bullet resistant/knife proof body suit which is now the first layer, then comes the first half of the plating, thin and covering the main parts of my body like my torso, head, thighs, arms etc. Then the second part of the 'hard' armor that goes over the first layer of hard armor and partially over the bodysuit. This second and final layering houses the electronics for the suit's power pack, life support, COM systems, etc.

I've made a special piece of armor which holds up my braided hair so I'm not folding or fighting with it to get my helmet on or off; bluntly refusing to cut it no matter who tells me to have it done. It's a silver plate which sits across the back of my head and wraps around the sides of my head, holding my folded hair in place no matter what I do. To be "stylish" and irritating to my nay-sayers, I had it made in the shape of two feathered wings, held at the middle by a marquis shaped piece of banded onyx. On the inside of the piece I wrote something I overhead the Spartan's talking about how it was said during the Human-Covenant war that they never die; "A spirit never dies until its forgotten." is neatly scrolled along the inside of one "wing" while on the other I wrote something my predecessor had said in one of my memories of hers, "Even in the darkest days/places, there is still hope within us.", having scrolled it in a bright grassy green enamel.

I do have my reservations about the whole suit setup though having to put on additional muscle mass to use it as well as get specialized neural implants. There's just only so much I want to be relying on a piece of machinery for and this is bordering that line of comfort for me since the suit, if it malfunctions or stops working entirely could kill me just as easily as it could save my life.

It was a bit hairy the first time I put the suit on, with its additional weight, shielding and the linkup to my implants was all a lot to deal with let alone on a training run with graduated Spartans and ODST's. I did however like the new challenge, despite getting my ass handed to me on the exercise. I proved the suit was capable of taking a beating while keeping me from serious physical injury; my pride, however, didn't fare so well.

I've been learning through John's example of maintenance with his armor by copying it and so far this methodology hasn't failed me. The last few hours go by as per the usual; we finish checking our armor, head off and grab some dinner before heading back to the barracks to check on any new information on the mission while I work on my studies for mechanics, chemistry, geology, and physics before I doze off midway through a physics report.

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Woot, chapter 4! Though it is a short one, but I figured it might be better to put Mercy's armor details in it's own place rather then lump it into one of the other chapters and make one of them obscenely long, also possibly slowing down the posting times. But hey, if anyone has any feedback on this, please post your review! They do really help so much.

Thank you!  
~ Rose


	5. The Routine Mission

"Suit up." he pokes me, making me jump surprised, falling right off the bed with a yelp which causes him to sigh tiredly, looking down at me. I stretch and yawn before getting up off the floor, scratching my head sleepily. "Kay. We're there?" I yawn sleepily while stripping out of my usual garb and slips into the black suit which is a skin-tight bit of slight defense which I wear under the actual suit's first layer. "Just about. Ten minutes out." He warns as I suit up slow, but methodical, still waking up. "Thanks for letting me sleep." I smile thankfully as I strap the separate armor components on. Once we both are suited up and he's checked mine's secure we load up our weapons into the various compartments of our armor.

"Don't give me that look. You know I'm better with this bow then I am a rifle..." I gripe as he gives me "the look" when I pick up my modified compound bow after stowing the last of my numerous knives, four short swords and single long katana like sword. The bow is fondly referred to as the "tech bow" looking less like any solely human-made device and something mixed of Covenant, Forerunner, **and** human technology; especially since I've recently modified it to make plasma bolts (with the help of a couple Huragok's that work with us humans) when drawn so I don't need arrows. As much as I have tried to explain to command how we did it, I'm at a total loss since my own participation was done without thinking, it was just so automatic for me.

"I'll take the handguns if that'll make you feel better, over the long sword." I shrug calmly, putting the bow across the small of my back when it hooks into my armor neatly before I draw the long sword and stow it back into the locker after he grunts in approval. I takeout my guns, four extra magazines of ammunition which I stow quickly and looks at him, posturing "That better?" which he just looks at me meaningfully, still never having liked the bow after the first one blew up, nearly removing my arm and nearly draining his shields totally after throwing me a good 75 yards. "Let's go." he orders simply as I snap the locker closed, stowing a couple extra magazines after a funny feeling tells me to bring them. "Kay." I jog after him calmly, adjusting the bow so it sits diagonally on my back as we leave the barracks, heading to the hanger.

While we head down I go over the information on where we are, mission specifications which haven't changed too much, asides locality and that we're the escort to a group of marines. The recon is now a rescue since it has been confirmed a ship went down on this out of the way planet now there are no life signs so we have to help the Marines confirm what happened to the crew and if the cargo is intact.

"Oh great. You're bringing that damn thing?" "Didn't it nearly take your arm off last time?" "You don't learn do ya kid." a few of the marines tease as we walk on board the dropship. "Now that's about enough out of you lot about that weapon. Orders are she brings it." the Staff Sargent warns them as I strap in calmly after taking it off my back. I break the bow into two pieces, the laser of a string disappearing once the connection is broken. Then I place the two pieces on my thigh-plate. "Hm. I wasn't aware those were orders..." I think to myself quietly as the last of the marines strap in but says nothing on it, figuring the Staff Sergeant is just getting them off my case, or maybe John's. Who knows.

It's a short trip from the ship to the location of the downed freighter, which is surprisingly in decent shape for having crashed. Everyone offloads and break off to our work, the marines head inside the ship as John and I are ordered to check the perimeter of the ship for any signs of the crew or trouble. "Looks like most of the hull is intact." I muse thoughtfully to John as we finish checking the perimeter. "Hull's intact. No pods launched. Cargo's intact. But the crew's missing." one of the marines report over the open line, making me look at John concerned. "Something's off." I muse through the speakers in my helmet as I look over the ship thoughtfully, catching slight movement above the ship. I bring up better imaging on my HUD of it curiously. "The fuck is that...?" I look at the strange looking creature walking along the outside of the ship, pointing it out to John. "Sir. We have a confirmed Promethean on the starboard quarter of the ship. Heading down to the topmost airlock." I hear him suddenly read off into our COM as I look up at him surprised. "How many can you count?" the Staff Sargent calls back over the COM line cautiously while I begin visually scanning the area carefully. "Just the one." John responds seriously while I continue with an electronic scan of the area. "Confirmed, only one. We've got it on our scanners." The Captain cuts in smoothly. "How do you want us to proceed sir?" the Staff Sargent inquires seeming partially irritated about something, as John sets up to sight the creature in with the sniper rifle he's packing. I take up guard for him to focus more relaxed, keeping my handguns at the ready suspiciously, knowing from my studies that it is unusual to see one and not be swamped quickly by more.

"Take it out. Then I want that ship's cargo ready for transfer to the Infinity in one hour. In the meanwhile Chief, you and Mercy find out what happened to the crew." the Captain orders sternly over the COM as John slaps a magazine of enhanced AP rounds home into the sniper rifle, opening fire on the Promethean who disintegrates too easily from what I can tell, some items rolling and bouncing to the ground afterward. "Got it, sir." I chime smoothly over the COM, looking at John concerned. "They always that easy?" I ask him concerned as he stands up. "No. They aren't." He grunts seriously as I walk over, putting the handguns back on my hips. "Very good. Keep us informed on your findings. Over and out." the Captain orders as I exhale worriedly, drawing my two short swords which I snap onto the forearms of my suit for easy access as we head back to the ship to examine the dropped items for clues.

"This must mean there's important forerunner something-er-other here... For those to be around..." I muse thoughtfully as we walk up to the items the alien construct dropped after dying. "Structures." He corrects me, pausing to examine some markings in the loose dirt around the ship as I walk over to the items cautiously. "Don't touch them!" He suddenly looks up at me as I stop, just about to wrap my fingers around one of the four items, a kind of handgun-like device. The one beside it, a round device activates brightly like a bomb about to detonate and I manage to jump back towards John just as it unfolds like a flower blooming and releases a blinding light.

* * *

The next thing I know I wake up face down on the floor of some kind of Forerunner structure while John begins to also stir, grunting somewhat grumpily as he gets up. "Well... I was right about the Forerunner thing..." I grunt, getting to my feet carefully as my wobbly senses re-orient then I pick up his battle rifle after noting the sniper rifle's somehow been destroyed. "This's gonna be an _experience_ without an AI to work the gate systems..." I sigh after checking the rifle over as I walk to him while he gets up then I hold it out to him calmly. "Haven't you been learning with the Doctor?" he questions thoughtfully, taking the rifle gently and I begin to check my weapons and armor over carefully. "Yeah. But I'm no comparison to one. It'll be slow going at best..." I sigh, noticing my right short sword landed 50 yards from us on a light bridge. "You'll do fine." He assures patting my shoulder before heading to a control panel making me smile thankfully before I begin walking over to get my sword. I stop just before setting foot on the bridge abruptly when I get an abrupt _bad feeling_ then quickly begins to look around suspiciously for whatever has set it off.

"Looks like we're on the other side of the planet. Deep down in the facility." He explains over the TEAMCOM as I draw my guns. "John... We've got problems. I can visually count six shapes using camouflage, watching us. But nothing's showing up on the HUD. I can't confirm their IFF tags. They're just sitting in a loose group on the wall, 60 feet up from that main doorway." I swallow unsure as he looks up from the panel, examining where I've mentioned. "Grab your blade and get us a map out of here." He orders just turning to look in my direction as I nod then begins to turn around and he suddenly levels his rifle. "Drop!" He barks so I hit the floor, darting off to the one side, catching a glimpse of something decently sized in the corner of my HUD while he pops off a few rounds.

The image just laughs mockingly at his efforts "Hahahahaha. Hardly a threat now Reclaimer, without your pathetic AI." the image taunts him, being partially distorted as the rounds pass through it. I collect myself and rise up, looking at this alien's image confused. "It's source is the bridge. Sir, shoot the bridge!" I exclaim while quickly pulling out a line with a magnetic tip from my hip, throwing it out neatly to catch the hilt of my short sword while I use my free hand to aim one of my handguns at the bridge and unloads a full magazine into the bridge along with John. The alien's image scowls at me before the bridge pops and their image disappears.

"Uh... We gotta get the hell out of here... " I gulp, backing up to him cautiously as I retract the line, replacing my rescued sword on my forearm plate as our HUD's light up with enemies as the camouflaged creatures appear covering the walls. I jump on the panel after barely finishing my words, typing away hastily to get us a portal out of this shit-storm as John does his best to buy us time. I keep getting stonewalled by some kind of AI, which keeps cutting me off before I can get a portal up for us to escape.

In a desperate move, I pull a connector from my helmet and plugs it into a port on the panel, creating a relatively direct connection to my specialized neural implants which will allow me to work much faster. But at risk of more direct physical and neural damage if there's any kind of electronic backlash my fail-safes can't handle. Right now I'm more concerned about the approaching hoard that's getting way too close for comfort, on top of John's lowering ammunition count.

"EXIT! On your six! It's a lab from the looks of things. I caught something about the ship's crew in the area as well." I quickly read off as I pull the link from the port in time for a gate to open up on the bridge not far behind him. I lift up both my handguns and begin enthusiastically unloading my guns into the creatures as we both back up to the portal. We both turn and jump through together, just barely missing out on being participants to the losing battle we were desperately fighting when more Promethean's arrive just before we leave.

He lands on his feet while I have to perform a forward flip, skidding to a stop just before hitting a wall with my faceplate then I flop onto my back. I drop both empty magazines from my guns as I hold them up then quickly slams two fresh mag's home as I listen to him do very much the same thing. "You okay?" I ask while getting up off my back and puts the guns on my hips. "Fine." He exhales shaking his head tiredly and I scratch my "head" apologetically with one finger before walking closer to him calmly. "Sorry about the wait, I kept getting stonewalled. Something or someone didn't want us leaving that room. So I stuck the thing with a chipmunk-ed music loop and managed to get us this exit, _barely_." I explain, rubbing the back of my neck sorely, knowing I put a decent strain on the implants.

He doesn't say anything on it but instead motions for me to turn around for a check on my armor. I tilt my head a bit curiously but does as ordered, knowing he has his reasons. "I don't suppose you got a map out of here while doing that maneuver.." he questions with dry humor as I come about and face him again, smiling amused. "I'm not just reckless Sir." I snicker, opening the map pack I stole while I had the " _thing_ " distracted, which gives us a lead to a room that has a small note about the ship's crew being taken there but not why.

* * *

Hopefully this will make up for the shortness of Chapter 4. ;)

Ooooh, now things start to get juicy methinks. Promethean's, someone who obviously know's john but not in a fond way, a downed ship with little to no damage, missing crew, and the old story of fighting in and through Forerunner structures. Aaaaand, that's all you get from me for a bit. Welcome to my first cliffhanger ladies and gents. Not one of my best, but certainly enough for my taste to create lots of questions and hopefully, interest.

Enjoy.


	6. Old Foes, new problems

"Alright. Good job." He says, beginning to walk down the hall holding his rifle in his hands, so I fall into step with him, looking around cautiously. "That creature seemed to know you. Who or what was that?" I finally ask as we enter the lab after the short walk from the room we landed in then across an open bridge. But there's no time to answer because there's immediate luminous gunfire zipping past us, so we both duck for cover and he begins returning fire while I check our surroundings carefully. I pull both my short-swords, activating the energy loops on the blades then darts out from my cover after nodding to him, making sure he's got the plan.

I paint a target on our HUD's as I rush out so he can pop its shielding for me before I get to it and begins a ferocious melee attack to bring it down. It goes flawlessly as he pops the Promethean's shielding just as I jump over it and land onto its back, slicing both swords right through its armoring like butter, causing the creature to break down in death.

We continue this until the last of them is dispatched and I sit on one knee, panting satisfied. "How's your ammo holding up?" I question as he walks out from cover and begins to police some of the dropped Promethean weapons, placing the MA5B on his back calmly. "Don't worry about me. Here." He says simply, dropping four of the Promethean Boltshot's beside me. I immediately set my swords down on the flooring in front of myself, the glowing fades away as I set them on the floor and begin setting the four guns evenly on my belt before picking the two swords up again, snapping them back into place on my forearms with practiced speed. "Thanks. Here I've two extra magazines for the rifle, test rounds for combat with heavily shielded opponents." I pull out two magazines of unusually hard looking rifle rounds, holding them out to him. "Didn't figure we'd need them, but I carry them in case they come in handy." I shrug as he takes them after a questioning glance before he stows them away quietly. "Alright. Let's move." he orders, beginning to walk to the inner doors of the outer room.

I stand up and follow quickly, looking over the bridge curiously to see what's below us "Whew... that's one hell of a drop..." I think to myself before I look back up and jog after him as he reaches the doors. He presses the command panel to open them just as I come up beside him. Which unsurprisingly, doesn't work. I smack the panel with a curt jab and it green lights before the doors begin to unlock and open, which gets me a look and I shrug. "Panel was loose." I shrug, pulling my swords out and activates the blades on them, taking up a defensive position as I look back to the doors.

"Bout time. I was running out of arguments that we'd be rescued.." A rather roughed up soldier exhales relieved as they walk out of a fog that spills from the room. I narrow my eyes, scanning them and backs up cautiously when they keep walking closer to us. "Sir, where's the Captain?" I ask the Sergeant suddenly who half looks at me and suddenly grins sickly as the fog disappears, revealing the dead body's within being infected by flood forms.

"FLOOD!" I cry warningly and throws my one sword through the panel causing the doors to suddenly begin to close as a few of the tentacled monsters pour out behind the now transforming man. Though between John's accurate fire, my handgun rounds, and swordplay, we mop them up before they get to be a real problem. I do cut the half-changed man in half across his body as John retreats while I duck in and grab my other sword before following him. "This day ain't going well... That was only part of the crew..." I grumble as we exit the room hastily and he grunts in acknowledgement and agreement of my assessment.

* * *

We follow the map, looking for a lift to get us up some levels so we can broadcast our findings. We run into more Promethean's, flood, and that first "thing" which keeps taunting us through our armor system's internal speakers. We do our best to find the remainder of the crew and any information on what happened as we do our best to stay alive. Unfortunately, those we do find are dead, infected by flood forms or nothing but strange piles of ash.

Finally, after nearly an hour we make it to the lift. It's not without a good hoard of Flood on our tails while our ammunition gets low trying to keep the creatures back. I jump on the command lift's panel quickly while John keeps the flood back as best he can. I manage to get the lift going quickly, so we just have to make sure they don't get on board, but frustratingly the lift suddenly drops lower, forcing me back to the panel to begin trying to stop it and make it climb, to no avail.

"This's pissing me off. Someone else is controlling this..." I grumble frustrated, while he checks the guns he's picked up, reloading quickly. "You wanted excitement.." He pokes as I exhale tiredly and follows suit, checking my guns as well while we descend. "Yeah. I think I'll be good for a while when we get out of this.." I joke and stand up as the lift begins to slow as we enter a tunnel, descending deeper into the forerunner structure. "I'll see if I can get us some intel on how deep it is taking us..." I exhale calmly, stowing the rifle across my back before I walk back over to the glowing panel. I plug into a port on the panel like I had before and begins working on getting the information until my armor seizes up and the alien AI's voice plays through the internal speakers of my helmet. "You're a pest..." he grumbles then suddenly a massive charge surges through the cable, into my suit and the subsequent release of energy throws me for one hell of a loop through the air. I watch horrified as I just barely clear the edge of the lift, the sickening feeling hitting me like a ton of bricks as my fingers just miss it and I begin a free-fall I'm sure will be my last.

My mouth suddenly becomes dry as everything slows, taunting me even more by giving me the horrible details of what I figure's gonna be the last things I ever see; until John's hand suddenly grabs my wrist, stopping me abruptly from falling. The sudden stop nearly jolts everything into my toes before he hauls me up back onto the lift beside him. I land on the ground beside him and sits there shocked, stunned and somewhat nauseous. "Mercy, report." he orders seriously, looking at my visor as I sit there silently.

"Uh... Ow..." I finally blink after a notable silence, slowly snapping out of my stupor. I pull my helmet off and checks the back of it as my long braid falls down my back, the charred pieces of my clasp clattering to the floor. "I'm just thankful for the Doctor putting in that fail-safe in case there was a back surge like that... Though... It's toast." I sigh, looking at the charred back of my helmet, rubbing my neck sorely. "What happened?" he asks, kneeling beside me concerned as I rub my neck. "That ass called me a pest and sent a mass back surge through the line, which *gulps* threw me." I explain as the blue light of the lift turns orange and it stops abruptly.

I slam my helmet back on and suddenly shove two of my short swords into his hands. "JUMP!" I yelp as the AI begins laughing maniacally just before the lift suddenly falls loose from its invisible track and we both jump off it. I get one of my other swords drawn, driving it through the wall as he jumps, intending to drive them through as well, but a panel suddenly opens in front of him and he sails right through, flailing a bit from the surprise. I listen to the sound of his armor scraping along the flooring as I get out my other sword and begin climbing up the wall, every one of my muscles complaining from the discharge's feedback going through my nerves and now the impact with the wall.

"You okay?" I ask over our TEAMCOM as I climb the wall stubbornly. "Yeah..." I hear him grumble as I guess he's righting himself and walking back to the opening. "This guy really hates me..." I curse secretly, seeing the opening beginning to close and drives two of my throwing knives into the wall then jumps up on them, launching myself up to the opening. Doing the same with a couple more till I manage to get my hand on the opening. I just get my other hand up to the closing panel when I see John's hands come out and grasp my forearms before he hauls me through just before it closes. I sigh, landing on the floor beside him in an exhausted heap.

"I think that was an attempt to separate us... He knows he'd have better chances of eliminating us if he breaks us up..." I grumble as he pulls me to my feet after I untangle my limbs. "Then let's not make it easy." he grunts, handing my short swords back to me then begins checking his rifle as I nod smirking. "I'd hate to not live up to being a _pest_." I smirk, stowing my swords back into my armor calmly.

"That's good to hear." A female says over our internal COM's, making both of us tense and carefully scan the area, putting our back's together. "Sorry about the opening Mercy. But I knew your swords wouldn't hold Sierra 1-1-7, so I opened the door." the slightly familiar voice apologizes as I blink surprised. "Where do we find you?" I ask suddenly hopeful. "I had to upload myself into a marine's armor, but they've been infected by flood and I'm along for the ride. I don't think they're aware of my being here... Yet." The young female AI explains worriedly as we begin walking along the dim corridor cautiously.

"Light up the IFF tag. We're coming to get you." John orders as we walk along and I pull the last two Boltshot's off my thigh-plates ready for what we both expect is going to be a fight to get to the downed ship's AI before anything or anyone else does.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait for a new update, life's been interesting the past while. But I promise my updates will not be years apart. _ Well here's a new chapter for everyone to enjoy.

~ Rose


	7. Did you say HIM!

A green light comes to life on both our HUD's not far from our location so we both drop into a jog. "Better get her before what's his irritated, gets her." I worry as we move through the corridors, popping off anything that gets in our way with practiced teamwork. Just as we're getting close, four red tags appear on our HUD's heading right for her. "I've got Promethean's incoming! Their orders are to scrap me." she warns us fearfully. I look at John he glances at me, obviously knowing what kind of maneuver I'm planning to pull to make sure we acquire this valuable AI as we come to another energy bridge. "I'm going for it. We can't lose the AI." I toss my second Boltshot gun into the air, towards the group of Promethean's while I charge an energy shot in my main. I let loose a highly charged bolt which blows the second gun cleanly apart with enough energy to destroy the shields on two of the creatures closest the explosion before throwing them back a few feet as John and I both jump off the bridge and carry on with little hesitation.

We both land and set to work on our own tasks; he deals with the Promethean's to give me time to kill the flood form and get the AI. Which I do in record time, ripping the AI's data crystal chip free of the damaged armor's port before jumping over to John and hands it to him. I help him with the Promethean's while he stows the card in his helmet, by using the last few shots from the Boltshot in my hands. The AI sets right to work getting us a transport out of the area by bringing the nearby lift up for us which we jump on after "scaring off" the last Promethean who teleport out of sight leaving us to begin policing their fallen comrade's weapons. "The Didact is behind all this." The AI explains seriously over our internal COM systems. I look at John who stiffens visibly at the mention of this being. "Who's the Didact?" I ask confused, looking at him. "A forerunner that used a device known as the Composer to digitize the inhabitants of New Phoenix while Sierra 1-1-7 fought to prevent its use. His previous partner an AI in full rampancy. Cortana - " the AI begins to explain but John increasingly tenses, closing his fists, giving me all the info I need that this is a very sore topic for him. "Alright. I get it. Get us a line topside and use the information from my video feed to fill the Captain in on what's been going on down here if you can." I order simply, gently placing my hand on his arm gently, looking for the right words while the AI works as I look up at him. "I'm sorry. Let's just find out what he's up to and put a few grenades into those plans of his." I finally say sympathetically, while we look at one another and he nods once, but the tension and silence say far more than any words he could possibly muster; whatever happened on that mission hit him hard.

"There's a block on any outside communications from or to us." She explains frustrated after a moment of silence and I look at the platform thoughtfully. "What about a forerunner communications array? Could you use that to get a message out?" I look up at the two of them calmly. "It's possible. But he controls the systems..." She reminds and I smile opening a panel on my forearm, beginning to type something in. "Show us to the nearest relay. I'll do what I can to keep him busy while you work. You'll have to make it fast, these are systems he's far more familiar with than either of us. Which leaves you, _Partner_ , to do what your best at; keep trouble off my back." I smirk before setting to work on an irritating playlist of music and I begin re-coding an old HTML virus I designed for Covenant systems so it will work for these advanced ones.

"There's a panel here." she says, painting it on a map she brings up on our HUD's as the lift comes to a stop many long and quiet moments later. "Looks like a good run." I exhale tiredly and check my handguns again after finishing the last of the coding on the virus. I look back at John and smiles mischievously "Let's go be reckless." I joke as he puts a new ammunition canister into the Suppressor. "Yes. Lets." he agrees with his typical dry humor and we begin the long fight to the panel through flood infested rooms, Promethean crawling levels and the ever constant trouble the Didact throws us; by blocking halls and shutting off bridges as we're crossing. But despite it all. we make it to the panel and John hands me the AI's data chip so I can upload her as we enter the room and he sets to work keeping anything from entering the room.

I run over to the panel and inputs the card then sets to work uploading my own viral music package for the Didact once I've also plugged in. "You d-d-don't... L-Learn... Human.." I hear his broken voice taunt over my helmet's speakers as I type quickly, doing what I can to keep him at bay while she contact's the Infinity and begins transferring the information package to them. "Where the hell have you two been?" The Captain demands through heavy static. "My apologies Sir. One of the items the Promethean dropped transported us to some Forerunner installation on the other side of the planet. We – Ah... Fuck." I curse as I get a good jolt to my neural implants, making me twitch sorely. "- have a confirmed issue here sir. The Didact's consciousness has been giving us problems along with Promethean's and flood forms. The report is being transmitted... Nnn - Ow." I grunt as the line to my helmet buzzes furiously while I continue to type in desperation to keep him at bay.

"What's going on down there?" The Captain demands as I cringe painfully. "Shira, you done yet?!" I manage to grunt as I feel my nerves buzz and my legs begin to shake from the strain of holding myself together. "Yes." She says suddenly and I yank the chip along with my link just as the panel blows, throwing me back five feet as my shields flare angrily. I land on my back hard, sliding an additional three feet "We've gotta move. Bogies inbound." John warns as I lay there immobile and very disoriented. "Yeah..." I cough, finally able to reach up and rip my helmet off. "They're not gonna like my toasting this new system..." I cough before rolling over onto all fours as I spit out some blood having bit my tongue. "Status." he asks over the speakers in his helmet concerned, having turned around and seen the blood. I shake my head to banish the disorientation before trying to stand a bit wobbly. "I've felt better after a three-story wipe-out." I grunt, managing to stand up without falling over or stumbling despite my nerves being abuzz, knowing if I don't somehow sort myself out in one heck of a hurry more this means all of us are in very hot water.

* * *

Hello again! I would like to thank those who have favorited and begun following this story. It is a brilliant light of encouragement for me to try and stay on top of getting chapters posted for you to read in some kind of timely fashion. And also a wonderful reminder that this story exists (I forget sometimes) which also helps me find some moments to edit a chapter for everyone to enjoy.

So sadly with a loss, new babies in the family (both human and pet), and spring housework/gardening. I do apologize if there is going to be a delay in between chapters longer than a month.

But as always, Reviews help immensely too because it lets writers like me know what our readers think and may also inspire sequels, more chapters, or entirely new stories!

Post more soon,

Rose


	8. You are WHO

I carefully hang my now very useless helmet off my belt before I turn and walk over towards him charging my last round from the Boltshot after trading it with my helmet on the belt. I manage to take out a Promethean's shields and tosses the AI's chip to John after he finishes the creature off. He slips the chip into a port in the back of his helmet and she immediately broadcasts through his speakers worriedly. "Your vitals took quite the hit! Your neural implants are fried." the AI - Shira reads off concerned as I stand beside John and painfully rub the back of my still tingling neck. "Yeah, I know." I grunt sorely as he looks over to me. "I got the feeling just before everything blew that something prevented the system from frying my entire neural network.." I muse thoughtfully as the doors close on a group of approaching Promethean's suddenly, blocking their path to us as a hologram comes to life in the room behind us in the middle of the bridge. "It was me." the young voice says as a Forerunner's avatar appears in the room. "There's not much time to explain. The Didact will detect me soon. Come this way. I can repair the damage he did and give you weapons to resist him." they explain as I look at John who examines them cautiously but we begin walking to the portal that the portal the Forerunner opened after Shira gives the okay of its safety.

I follow John through the portal and nearly lands on him when we drop out in a kind of laboratory-like room. "Who exactly are you?" I ask, after nearly face-planting into the ground when I stumble to narrowly avoid the collision with John's shoulder, righting myself after landing in a heap on the floor. "My mother managed to hide my existence from my father when I was young since I didn't hold the same beliefs as he about the humans and she feared he would end my life." The young forerunner explains regretfully as I stand up and the portal snaps closed. "You're the Didact's child?" I look at them surprised, getting an embarrassed smile from them as they shift sheepishly. "Yes... But my father wasn't... This... Extreme before... He's changed and I want to help put him to rest. Please, step here and I'll begin the repairs. I fear he's trying to regain his physical form and there's not much time." They plead worriedly and I nod, stepping onto the nearby platform as John scans the area carefully. "Gotta trust someone sometime." I smile as the platform lights and lighted rings lift up, fully enclosing me with the bright light.

It is not a long wait as the work is done. But certainly blinding, so much so, I have to squeeze my eyes shut from the painful brightness. Closing my eyes allows me to feel more of what's going on around me and the one thing that stands out most is some odd sensation flowing upwards through my body, not just over it. I feel the light begin to fade and I open my eyes to find John standing in front of me while the Forerunner examines the now modified armor with a pleased smile. "You're a unique Reclaimer. I've never seen those augmentations take so well before. She admits as I take my new silvery helmet off my hip, looking over the once matte grey armor plating is now a matte silvery metal over top of the black body suit underneath. I look at my mirrored face plate to see I've been healed and my eyes are now brighter hues of blue and green. Even my hair has rich highlights of red and gold among my long dusty blonde hair which I can't help but privately appreciate. "I was cloned of a Reclaimer that died centuries ago. They must've added something to the holes in the DNA." I look up at the Forerunner calmly as I step down in front of John calmly. "Hm... Yes... You're right. But how would they get _that_ material..." she trails off then suddenly her image disappears with a sudden pop just before her eyes widen in terror and shock.

"He found us." I jump away from the platform as it changes to a bloody, orange color before slipping my new helmet on which brings my whole system to life. "That meddler never ceases to get in my way... Her secrets will not help you Reclaimer." The Didact's voice speaks disgustedly from around us as I pull out my short swords as John and I put our back's together, looking around the room cautiously. "Where?" I ask cautiously looking around. "Just like the mother, the child will join her." he snarls furiously as Shira responds unsure. "I can't get a lock... It's coming from..." she begins but there's a bright flash and the two of us are suddenly thrown back from the blast wave. I roll over with John, both of us bringing our weapons to bear to find a physical being standing on the platform as Forerunner armor materializes onto them. "You are becoming an irritation, Warrior." He snorts glaring at us, but I quickly realize it is not so much meant for me as much as it is John; who opens fire with the rifle as I rise up and charge with my swords, half surprised when the blades glow brightly with life as I dart in closer. I just make it to the platform when he waves his hand, throwing me into the far doors and I crumple to the floor with a pained groan.

I shake my head and begin to getup as I hear John rise up off the floor to his feet firing the suppressor enthusiastically so I pick up my dropped swords, stowing them back into my armor. I check the room mapping out a way to get around the Didact with my Parkour skills before I dart off, tapping John's hip as I pass and jump against the wall, pushing off and primes two of his grenades as he continues firing, catching my plan: for him to weaken the Forerunner's shields enough so the grenades take it out and any stray rounds will cause him direct damage. I manage to plant them and jump for cover before they explode and he empties the last of his rounds into the cloud before I drop down beside him, stuffing a new canister into the gun after the old one ejects then I draw both my handguns, beginning to unload the last of my rounds into the cloud as he starts right up again with hardly a pause.

Suddenly as if in slow motion the cloud parts and the Didact charges forward with a sword like item in his hand and I drop my guns, pulling my own swords, charging forward with them fully alight in my hands as the blades meet, my single thought is to keep this creature from his deadly intent towards my partner. My armor takes the brunt of the impact, causing a dent in the flooring below me as his sword comes down as we look at one another. "You cannot win." He snorts as I push back, spinning around with one blade free of his sword, bringing it to bear against his armored arm, sending a shower of sparks across the floor as the two meet and John keeps plugging rounds away at any part of the Didact that's open as the two of us grapple. "Win or lose. You're going down too." I grunt and jump back when he swings the sword to slice my middle and I skid to a stop just before John. "Stand Down!" he barks as I flick my swords at the ready like backward facing fangs. "Keep firing! His shields are - ACK!" I cough as the Didact raises his hand, picking me up off the flooring in an invisible grasp and I feel pressure crushing in on me more and more as I try to fight against the hold. "Your struggles are futile. Your kind is not worthy of the Mantle." He snarls as both my swords clatter to the floor as every muscle in my body tenses from the invisible grasp, causing me to cough and gasp for air. I manage to pick up on faint buzzing through the COM "Mercy! Answer dammit!" I hear the faded voice order concerned through the haze as I smirk defiantly.

"I'm not done yet." I cough hoarsely, secreting a blade from within my gauntlet which I flick, watching the glowing blade hit home in the Didact's hand, making him drop me; right into John's waiting arms. "Reckless." He scolds as I cough and grin sheepishly. "Worked though." I wheeze as he gently sets me down onto my feet then I pick up my dropped swords. The Didact steps backwards onto the platform as blood drips from the wound on his hand onto the ground. "You will regret this." He snarls furiously at me as I fold my swords at the ready, challengingly. Just before he disappears, the doors open up and let in a hoard of waiting Promethean's into the room, giving both John and me hardly the time to cross words as we jump into the fray as bolts of light fly past us. He pops their shields and I take them out with my usual melee attacks, the two of us working together in our usual practiced precision until we've cleared a path out of the room and Shira paints us an exit to a portal room four levels down which we follow hastily.

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Thank you to my readers for being so patient for this update. Life has been quite busy, stressful and just tough the past few months so I apologize sincerely for making you wait for this update. But I hope it's worth it and you enjoy.

~ Rose


	9. No one treats my partner like that!

We reach the final lift and I flop onto my ass panting hard. "Is it just me..? But he doesn't call me a Reclaimer like you. It's gotta have something to do with what that young Forerunner mentioned about " _That material_ " that must've been used to fill the gaps in the DNA." I speak thoughtfully, pulling a Stim and food pack from a pocket in my armor calmly, holding them up gently to see if he wants one. I figure since the ride's gonna take a bit we have time to at least get some nutrition before continuing the fray.

"Why'd you block his sword back there?" He asks, taking the food pack as I sit back down with my legs crossed. I remove my helmet, placing it on the ground in front of myself as I rip the top off the Stim pack and takes a good swig of it before answering. "I didn't think about it, I just jumped in there.. Maybe it was the look in his orange eyes: the anger... Or something else. But I just knew I didn't want to find out what that sword would do to his target; You." I admit, looking at the Stim pack quietly. "But I'm probably sounding mushy." I quickly throw in and down the last of the Stim pack embarrassed, stowing the garbage and quickly throws my helmet back on. "Guaranteed. I'll be a _little_ more careful next time." I comment jokingly as I stand up, stretching as he also removes his helmet and drinks the pack down quietly.

I mentally kick myself as I look out through the "glass" over the compound below us. "That was damn reckless what I did... We both could have wound up dead." I scold myself in my helmet as I look down, checking our offloading zone. "Yeah. It was." He says, putting a hand on my shoulder calmly, making me jump as Shira's signal buzzes across my HUD with a giggle, letting me know she'd tampered with my suit so what I said came across my external speakers. "Ugh. Fuck it, we get back I'm getting "Reckless" as a tattoo since I ain't living down the title." I grumble while pouting, crossing my arms in a half pout which to my surprise causes my armor to stretch around my arms and torso, hinting that there was more to the changes then just my hair, eyes and armor. "You seem awfully sure it's going to be permanent." He says smoothly and I turn to face him, internally worried. "Well... I've earned it. Now to the issues at hand, if we run into him again... If I can get his focus on me you should be able to get in and deliver a final blow. We know and he knows I can wound him. He wont be so quick to dismiss me as he was before. Which may give you an edge to get in and flatten him." I look at John surely as he looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "Don't try and play hero, Mercy. It's cost many people I knew their lives." he warns concerned and scolding all in the same breath as I I look up at him surprised then I relax as the lift begins to slow and comes to a stop at our level. "No promises. Now lets go stop this guy." I smile, holding up his rifle to him gently.

As he slips his helmet back on and picks up the rifle from my hands, we begin what is hopefully going to be the last lag of this hellish entrapment here in the unknown Forerunner installation. I get my playlist going in my helmet as we run along through the corridors, fighting our way through as efficiently and quickly as we can. I use my parkour skills to full effectiveness as we go through the different rooms, halls and laboratories as we fight and melee our way to the portal room.

We manage to just get inside the first set of interlocking doors to the portal chamber without _too many_ flood forms getting through, forcing us to mop them up before proceeding to get the final set open. I drop down beside John with a pilfered Promethean sword in hand which I bring alight. "He's in there. I can feel it." I warn seriously as the doors begin to open, revealing its the portal room alright, with the Didact standing at the end of the long bridge, with various open screens showing different Promethean creation reports and information scrolling across them, along with one showing full readouts on the UNSC Infinity. He motions for me to hang back a few steps which I nod, doing as told while the Didact continues working, an obvious bandage on the hand, from when my knife embedded itself there. I walk along a few steps behind John as he cautiously approaches, the two of us looking around the room carefully as the doors close behind us.

"You're too late. The ship is mine Reclaimer. I will finish what I had begun with your planet. And now your precious AI isn't here to help you get in my way." The Didact taunts as we watch a large display show the rate of decent for the Infinity to the planet's surface while the COM chatter goes wild about whats going on and how to desperately stop it. I ball my fists frustrated, knowing full well we'd better work damn fast to stop whatever he's got in the works or all may be lost. John surprises me when he stows the rifle across his back and draws two of my short swords, bringing them to life as I watch stunned, then I note the trick; grenades hidden on his wrists. "Such a simple trick you would think work on me Reclaimer. Not you or that abomination can stop me!" he laughs raising his hand towards John and I draw five throwing knives in each hand, bolting forward then spins, throwing them with all the force I can, while he releases the grenades towards the Didact then together we rush forward as a team, all four short swords alight. However on the outskirt's of the smoke cloud two heavy bolt rounds strike both of us square in the chest which make us stumble backwards just before the Didact himself rushes out, grabbing our helmets with each hand then throws us far across the bridge. "I hope that was plan A..." I whine as we begin to getup as the Didact continues advancing on us quickly. "Sort of." He quips, pressing a detonator which comes to life on the Didact's arm, blowing him clear off the bridge as we get up on our feet. "I don't think I will ever get used to your speed..." I put my hand on my helmet surprised, stowing my two short swords as he holds out the other two calmly to me. "You gave me the idea. He _was_ paying more attention to you when he hit us. Like you said." He explains simply as I take the swords from him and replace them on my gauntlets. "Insolent creatures!" I hear the Didact cry furiously as the room dims and he rises from one of the pillars that begin surrounding the bridge.

"Uh... Now I think we just dun pissed him off. Any idea's?" I watch as the Didact rises out of the smoke, holding his hand out to us, but I pause confused when I feel nothing and horrified, turns around to find my partner is 40 feet above the deck and rising with some faint glow enveloping his armor. I draw my two guns and begin firing, but they hardly make a dent, only rewarding me with a flick of his free wrist which sends me careening into the armored doors of the portal room and crashing to the floor in a painful heap. I quickly roll to my feet, nearly stepping on something that'd fallen free of my armor. An item I'd utterly forgotten about until now - My _bow_! I pickup the two pieces and curses when I see the energy source for the item has been smashed during the impact. I look up suddenly when I hear John's armor beginning to groan under the strain and I hastily rip the power core from my own armor, stuffing it between the two pieces. I give it a couple quick adjustments before I put the bow together fully then I pull my cracked helmet off and I bring the bow up to bear as it glows to life and my armor's power dies, leaving me sickeningly vulnerable and without life support if I need it. "HEY YOU UGLY CURR! NO ONE TREATS MY PARTNER LIKE THAT!" I cry out loudly so I will definitely have his attention as I draw the bow back its full length, letting the single bolt reach its maximum capacity and the max capacity of the power core which red-lines. I release the over-energized bold just as the core blows in a halo of light and plasma, throwing me up against the doors to receive the full brunt of the painful blast before dropping me to the ground, where I land unsteadily on my feet. Smirking with weak satisfaction as blood drips down into my right eye just before I watch the bolt strike the Didact, blowing right through his shielding and armor like nothing, sending his now limp corpse limply through the fog to the eventual ground far below the bridge.

I look up just as I see John in free fall for the bridge as I drop to my knees and lands on my hands just as he lands on the bridge causing it to shake violently. "Stop that!" I bark out as he gets up, pointing to the still running programs showing our ship being brought down helplessly to a waiting hoard of Promethean's before I collapse onto the bridge as blood drips from some cracks in my body suit on my arms and torso. "Damn I overdid it... I didn't need that much punch to the bolt..." I grumble weakly, trying to keep myself awake while I listen to him hesitate. "DAMN IT MAN DO IT! I ain't gonna die, yet." I cough violently after rolling onto my back so I can yell loudly, the copper taste of my blood tainting my mouth with each coughing spasm. I close my eyes so more of my sweat mixed blood doesn't get into them and cause more stinging then I want to deal with as I lay on the floor, letting the exhaustion in.

I open one eye moments later just as he's about to touch my shoulder and I smirk pained. "So... What color ya think the ink should be for the tattoo?" I cough, wincing in pain from the movement. "That was stupid." he scolds concerned making a wry grin spread across my face. "You're surprised?" I tease hoarsely, moving my arm to try and getup. "Don't even think about jumping around... Your rib cage took the brunt of that. You've got a collapsed lung, and a long list of other injuries." he scolds, helping me carefully rise up as Shira chimes a bell to signal a portal near the downed cargo ship is open. "The production of Promethean's loyal to the Didact have stopped. All currently operational ones have reverted to base programming and begun cleaning up the flood threat here." she explains as we walk over and I gently remove her chip when he shifts to do that himself. "This outta be an interesting report when we get back." I smile tiredly as blood slides down from the corner of my lips and I close my eyes just as we both step through the portal, ending our first of many " _Exciting_ " adventures.

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So, this is the end everyone! I hope you all enjoyed and someone leaves a review! lol

Thank you dear readers and all those who've favorited this and my other stories.

Sincerely,  
Rose


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